Indoor positioning and communications system

ABSTRACT

The inventive concepts provides indoor positioning capabilities and door monitoring to facilities including but not limiting to day care providers and elderly care facilities in order for them to be able to quickly position someone inside the building as well as to be forewarned when they are going somewhere they shouldn&#39;t be i.e. near an exit way. The system also offers two way communications to the staff in the facility when a management server is implemented.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/176,493 filed Jun. 8, 2016, entitled “INDOORPOSITIONING AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM,” which in turn claims priority toU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/174,220, filed on Jun. 11, 2015entitled “INDOOR POSITIONING AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM”, the entirety ofeach of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The inventive concepts relate generally to technology related to thelocation of people and/or objects, and more specifically to systems andmethods for positioning people and assets inside a building.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Global positioning (GPS) systems often do not function inside a buildingsince there is no direct signal path between the satellite signal to thedevice inside the building. In particular, the frequencies at which GPSsignals operate do not typically permit the transmission though certainsolid objects. There is a strong desire to be able to position peopleand equipment inside a building in a cost effective fashion, and in amanner that overcomes the foregoing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A feature of the invention is that it provides for a system and methodthat transmit downstream a low frequency energizer radio frequencyidentification (RFID) “wakeup” beam, also referred to as an energizingsignal, or the like, for example, having a frequency around 125 KHz fromspecific beacons, for example, position beacon (mPB) devices andposition satellite beacon (mPS) devices (generally referred to as beacondevices, or beacons). A beacon device includes an antenna, for example,an internal antenna. An mPS device may be positioned a predetermineddistance from an mPB device, and may increase a range of the mPB device,for example. A remote processor can control an external antenna such asthe mPS device in a manner as an internal antenna. In other words, themPB and mPS may each include a similar antenna. The mPB is referred toas a “beacon” or “beacon device”, since it communicates with a pendant,tag, or related electronic device. A difference between the mPB and themPS is that the mPB includes a processor for perform functions inaccordance with embodiments here, while the mPS is constructed andarranged to extend the effective range of the system, but transmitting abeam via its antenna.

The mPS device may extend the range of a beacon by a significantdistance, for example, 30 feet with 15 feet on each side of the beacon,for example, to a whole wing or long hallway of a building. An exampleof a position beacon may be provided as a LiveSentinel™ product, severalof which may be positioned throughout a facility in order to be able toread pendants or tags that are located on people or equipment. The moremPB devices in the facility, the higher the degree of accuracy one canposition a person or thing. The Position Satellites communicate with theposition beacon devices to increase the range of an area to bemonitored. The beacon devices may be located in a hallway mounted on theceiling, but could also be put into individual rooms. When an electronicpendant comes into range of one of the mPB's or mPS's the energizer beam“wakes up” the pendant The pendant in some embodiments provides twofunctions. The first is to generate a signal that serves as a call forhelp when a button is pressed or the pendant is otherwise activated. Thesecond function is that the pendant wakes up when energized (forexample, remotely as described in embodiments herein) and reports backwhat position beacon device and/or position satellite beacon device justwoke it up so that the system can determine where in the building theuser of the pendant is at and the pendant determines whether to make asupervisory call to the mPB in order to alert the server that a newpendant has come into its proximity. The signal uses a differentIndustrial, Scientific or Medical (ISM) frequency to call the mPB. Thesupervisory call is transmitted over a network, e.g., Ethernet or Wi-Fi,back to an event management server (EMS) to take note of the pendant inthis area. The EMS is a special-purpose computer device, for example,operated by software, whose primary function is to keep track of all themessages that are coming in from the mPBs in a particular configuration.Alternatively, in embodiment where there is no EMS server, then an emailor SMS message can be sent to a mailbox, pager, or cellular device. TheEMS server is much more sophisticated and has mapping capabilities toenable staff to be able to see where the pendants are positioned in realtime. A feature of the inventive concepts permits a person to be trackedindoors within a predetermined region, for example, within a 32 footradius of one of the mPB's or mPS's. The pendant or tag battery life canbe dramatically increased with this architecture since it is not pollingconstantly to the beacon devices.

In one aspect, provided is a system for positioning, comprising: atleast one position beacon device that generates an energizing signal; atleast one pendant that is energized by the energizing signal, andincludes a button that when pressed generates a signal to provide alocation of the pendant, and an event management server thatcommunicates with the pendant, and receives data regarding a location ofthe pendant.

In another aspect, provided is a method for positioning, comprising:polling by a position beacon device or satellite antenna device a lowfrequency signal; receiving, by a pendant, the low frequency signal;waking up the pendant with the energized signal, requiring the pendantto determine if it is the same position beacon device or satelliteantenna device that woke it up previously; and determining whether tosend a supervisory message to an EMS server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of this invention may be betterunderstood by referring to the following description in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate likestructural elements and features in various figures. The drawings arenot necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed uponillustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a floor plan illustrating the range of operationof a positioning and communication system implemented in a building, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an operational exchange betweenelements of a positioning and communication system, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 3 is another diagram illustrating an operational exchange betweenelements of a positioning and communication system, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a front interior region of a beacondevice, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the exterior of the beacon device ofFIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of rear interior region of the beacondevice of FIGS. 4A and 4B.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an operation of a beacon device, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a position pendant, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operation of a pendant, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of elements of a beacon device, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a screenshot of an event management server (EMS) main screenused to track the pendants on the screen, in accordance with someembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Technologies need to be implemented in order to be able to positionpeople or objects inside a building. As the population continues to age,people are living longer and are more likely to develop dementia orrelated debilitating diseases. Therefore, the features of the inventiveconcepts may be useful in positioning patients.

For example, shown in FIG. 1, an indoor positioning and communicationsystem in accordance with some embodiments may broadcast a signal orbeacon 20 throughout a facility regardless of location in the facilityof a wearer of a receiver of the beacon 20. Each circle 20 in FIG. 1 mayrefer to a beam output by a position beacon device 110 alone or incombination with a satellite beacon device 120, for example, a 15radius. Thus a position beacon device 110 may be 30 feet or so from aneighboring beacon device or satellite beacon device 120. The wearer maybe placed, or positioned, in a particular room of the facility, forexample, a long term care facilities who may be a flight risk. It isalso advantageous for staff to know where residents or patients are inorder to give them their medications and if they know the whereabouts ofwhere they are they can save time trying to track them down. Somefacility owners may also use the system to track and position staffmembers.

In brief overview, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a beacon device, which maya position beacon device 110 alone or in combination with a satellitebeacon device 120, may energize its antenna, described in someembodiments herein. A determination is made whether a pendant 130generates a signal received by the beacon device. Once the beam ispicked up by the pendant 130, it contacts the position beacon device110, which in turn generates and outputs a data packet either via email,short message service (SMS), or JSON to a server with information thatan event has occurred. For example, the data packet may be formatted andoutput as an email, short message service (SMS), JavaScript ObjectNotation (JSON) or other electronic communication, which is output issent to an EMS server 150 (shown in FIG. 3). If no, then the pendant 130returns to a sleep mode.

In accordance with some embodiments, the system comprises the followingcomponents:

Position Beacon (mPB)

A position beacon 110 in accordance with some embodiments providesprimary processing functions of the system, as shown.

Beacons, which may comprise one or more position beacon devices 110 andposition satellite beacon devices 120, provide the primary processingfunctions of the system. Typically positioned in hallways, beaconsreceive signals from pendants and pull cords. The range of a beacondepends on its functionality and the components that are connected toit. If only pullcords or the like are connected to the system, beaconshave a range of about 100 feet, allowing the system to spread thebeacons far from each other. However, if pendants 130 are used, theytypically have a line of site of 50 feet with nothing in the way. When aposition beacon 110 is used, the range of the positioning component istypically around 20 feet in both directions of the beacon device 110.When a wall is positioned between the pendant 130 and the beacon, therange could go down to 25 feet. The position beacon device 110 includesan antenna (not shown since in this embodiment the antenna is internal).When turned on, the antenna outputs a burst of energy or beam atconfigurable intervals, which includes the base identification number ofthe beacon device 110 if a beacon device 110 sent the beam or thesatellite identification number if a position satellite beacon device120 sent it. Also included in the beam is the time stamp and theAcknowledgement (or ACK) list, which is a list of all pendants 130 thatare part of the table. The processor of the beacon device 110 polls itsantenna, as well as the antennas in the satellite beacon devices 120,for any changes in their pendant's ACK list, enabling it to inform theEMS server of any changes in movement. If there is no EMS server, theinformation can be sent via email instead.

Beacon devices 110 listen for events, typically at or about a 433 MHzfrequency. A beacon device may be positioned, for example, in the middleof four rooms for coverage if pendants are involved. This will ensurethat each pendant and pull cord is able to generate an event that willbe processed by the beacon when the buttons are pressed. Be sure to testthe pendants and pull cords during installation to make sure they are inrange of the beacon.

As shown in FIG. 8, a position beacon 110 comprises a central processingunit (CPU) 202, a memory 212, a battery 210, network interfaces 204,208, for example, Wi-Fi and Ethernet physical Interfaces, a powerconnector (not shown), one or more RJ-45 connectors 222 (FIG. 4A) orother satellite extension circuit 218 for optional position satellitebeacon devices 120 and/or relay ports, shown by a tag, sticker, or otheridentification 223 shown in FIG. 4A. The relay ports can be configuredfor inputs or outputs and can be used to control door access via a doorstriker or bell and inputs from dry contacts like motion sensors aresome examples for their intended uses. Other elements of the positionbeacon 110 may include but not be limited to ISM communicationscircuitry 206, external dry contact input and relay output circuitry210, LED lights 216, and/or gyrometer 214.

Integrated into the position beacon device 110 is a network protocol,e.g., internet protocol (IP) stack which permits the position beacondevice 110 to be configured as an entity on the network with its own IPaddress. It supports a discovery protocol to be able to query for aManagement Server and if it discovers one it can download itsconfiguration file and announce itself on the network. Its networkinterface supports Power over Ethernet (POE) to alleviate the need forexternal power. However an external power port is provided in case POEis not available. If the unit is powered externally it can takeadvantage of its Wi-Fi capabilities and a category 5 Ethernet cable isnot required to be run back to the wiring closet. The system also actsas a Wi-Fi access point that is used to communicate with the staff'sWi-Fi enabled communication devices. There are two lights on the devicethat are in use when the device transmits (red) or receives (green) asignal. These lights can be turned off via software if desired. A fullprotocol stack is implemented to communicate with an Event ManagementServer (EMS) 150 in order for it to constantly send messages so it knowswhere the pendants 130 are. There is also a motion sensor in the beacondevice 110 that can sense motion so staff can be alerted if someone isin the area without a pendant 130 on. This can be useful if the pendant130 is removed and it is after hours with limited staff. The positionbeacon device 110 has an optional battery backup that is trickle chargedfrom the POE switch.

When the antenna is turned on it will output a burst of energy or beamevery X number of seconds where X is configurable. The beam sends downits base identification number if it is a beacon or a satelliteidentification number if it is a position satellite beacon device 120, atime stamp, and the Acknowledgement (ACK) list. The ACK list is the listof all the pendants 130 that are in its table. Therefore the pendant 130can determine if it is in this beacons list already to alleviate theneed to make another supervisory call back to the EMS server which taxesthe battery. The processor of the position beacon device 110 polls itsinternal antenna as well as the antennas in the satellites for anychanges in their pendants ACK list so it can tell the EMS server 150 ifthere are any changes in movement. If there is no EMS server 150 it canemail or SMS the messages out instead.

Position Satellite Beacon Device (mPS)

In brief overview, the main function of a position satellite beacondevice 120 is to increase the range of the beacon device's locus. Thisis important when you want to ensure that the positioning is accurate.For example, if someone runs under a beacon quickly, it may not pick itup in time, but a position satellite beacon device 120 on each side ofthe beacon will correct this.

The position satellite beacon device 120 connects to the position beacondevice 110 via a Category 5 twisted pair cable or other electricalconnector where it also derives its power, in addition to being used forthe communications link. In particular, the satellite beacon 120 has anantenna in it that connects back to the beacon device 110 over anEthernet cable or the like. The CPU 292 of the beacon device 110 wakesup the antenna in the satellite device 120 every x number of seconds andbroadcasts the ACK list and a timestamp that the pendant 130 hears. Thedistance that the satellite antenna expands the range is the same as thebeacon itself, which is about 20 feet in both directions. Therefore, ifa beacon device 110 has both position satellite beacon device 120attached to it, the range should be about 80 feet.

The satellite device's antenna contains a unique identifier that is sentback to the beacon, which in turn transmits the data to the EMS serverso that it can distinguish if the pendant is closer to the positionsatellite beacon device 120 or the beacon device 110 based on the signalstrength, which the pendant 130 sends to the beacon device 110.

As previously described a position satellite beacon device 120 may be inelectrical communication with the position beacon device 110. Theposition satellite beacon devices 120 are just external antennas whichare much cheaper than a beacon since it has no PCB board in it. It is aclever way to extend the range which is also what we are trying toprotect. If you open up a beacon you will see an antenna in it with thePCB in schematic in FIG. 7. If one opens up a position satellite beacondevice 120, one will just see the antenna via a Category 5 twisted paircable where it also derives its power in addition to being used for thecommunications link. The position satellite beacon device 120 andposition beacon device 110, or base, may coexist under a same buildingor structure, or may be at remote locations. An external power connectoris also optional on the Position satellite beacon device 120 which isuseful if the distances between the position beacon device 110 andposition satellite beacon device 120 exceeds 30 feet. The antenna thatis in the position satellite beacon device 120 contains a uniqueidentifier which is sent back to the position beacon device 110 which inturn transmits the data to the EMS server in order to be able todistinguish if the pendant 130 is closer the beacon device 110 or thesatellite device 120 based upon the signal strength in case the positionbeacon device 110 and position satellite beacon device 120 both pick upthe pendant 130.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the position beacon device 110 alone or incombination with the satellite beacon device 120 may produce a beam 20having a desired radius, which in combination with other predetermineddevice locations can cover a facility in order to excite a pendant 130.If the pendant is on one of the unions of overlapping circles 20, it cansend two supervisory packets back to the server: one with a satellitedevice 120 as the identified device and the other as the beacon device110 as the identified device, and the server may analyze the signalstrength to determine which device, i.e., position beacon device 110 orsatellite device 120 the pendant 130 is closer to. Since both devices110, 120 have antennas that could excite the pendant 130 then it couldcause the pendant 130 to make to supervisory calls to the beacon (onewith antenna id 1 the beacon and one with antenna ID 2 the positionsatellite beacon device 120. The system looks at the signal strength inthe EMS 150 to determine what they were closest to. A supervisory callmay take the same power as a button press.

In some examples, supervisory signal is generated by the pendant when itthinks it encountered a new beacon. If the pendant stays under the samebeacon it should not generate a lot of supervisory calls which saves thebattery life. With respect to pendant battery management, the energizingsignal also provides the beacon ID and the pendant will go back to sleepimmediately after being energized if it is the same beacon.

Pendant

The pendant 130 is configured to communicate with the beacon device 110,which in turn communicates with other devices such as servers,computers, and so on, for example, described herein.

In some embodiments, the pendant 130 comprises a PCB board, an emergencypush button 252 (shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B), an accelerometer, agyrometer, a battery, a transmitter and a receiver. The primary benefitof our solution is extraordinary long battery life of the pendant sinceit does not have to chirp or broadcast at full power when it comes intoproximity of a beacon. Conventional products on the market offer indoorlocation services the pendants are constantly sending out a signal everyX number of seconds which taxes the battery. Embodiments of theinvention alleviate this need by “waking up” whenever it notices abeacon location change or waking up in reduced power mode to ensurethere has not been a change by reading the ACK list. Therefore if thependant 130 stays in one location then it is not drawing any or muchpower until it travels to a different beacon location which may nothappen very often in an elderly care facility. The pendant 130 can alsohave an emergency button 252 on it that can be used whenever help isneeded. There is an embodiment of the pendant 130 with no emergencybutton for memory care patients who would be pressing the button often.The receive and transmit functions operate on different frequencies. Thependant also offers fall down detection when the accelerometer and thegyrometer are triggered and no movement is detected after activation toautomatically dial for help. The pendant also features a replaceablebattery and is water resistant. When the pendant transmits supervisoryinformation to the base it transmits its serial number, signal strengthof the receiving beam, along with the Base ID or Satellite ID it lastreceived the beam from. The pendant also sends a Low Battery Indicationwhen the battery level drops below a preconfigured amount, for example,2.2 volts. Keeping track of the Base or Satellite ID enables the pendantto determine if the current Beacon is the last one that it communicatedwith when it woke up last. When the pendant transmits information backto the base it selects a random channel number to alleviate collisions.The pendant transmits to the base its signal strength from the antennain the x, y and z direction relative to the pendant orientation enablingthe system to know its orientation and position in a corridor. Thereforethe EMS server ascertains the pendant's position and distance from theBase, and will not have any ghosting problems with a Base on anotherfloor.

Pendants 130 can be worn by residents, patients, or staff and are usedby them when they need assistance. For example, a pendant may be part ofa watch, tag, necklace, or other wearable apparatus.

Although not shown, a pendant 130 may comprise a printed circuit board(PCB), an emergency pushbutton, a battery, and a transmitter andreceiver. A feature is that the battery has an extraordinary longbattery life, since it doesn't have to chirp or broadcast at full powerwhen it comes into the proximity of a beacon device 110. Instead, thependant 130 “wakes up” whenever it notices a beacon location change, orit wakes up in reduced power mode to ensure there has not been a change.As long as the pendant 130 is positioned at one location, it draws verylittle power, if any, until it travels to a different beacon location,which may not happen very often in an elder care facility or otherfacility. The battery in the pendant is a standard replaceable battery,and the pendant is water resistant.

The pendant 130 can also have an emergency pushbutton 252 that can beused whenever help is needed. The pendant's signal will typically travelabout 50 feet when pressed. Pendants 130 with no emergency button arealso available and can be used for memory care patients who mightotherwise press the button when help is not actually needed.

The transmit and receive functions operate on different frequencies.When the pendant 130 transmits information to the base, it includes itsserial number, signal strength, as well as the Base ID or Satellite ID.The pendant also sends a Low Battery indication when the battery leveldrops below a predetermined amount, for example, x percent. Keepingtrack of the Base or Satellite ID enables the pendant to determine ifthe current beacon is the most recent one that it communicated with whenit woke up last. When the pendant transmits information back to thebase, it selects a random channel number to alleviate collisions. Thependant 130 transmits to the beacon device 110 its signal strength fromthe antenna in the x, y, and z direction relative to the pendantorientation, enabling the system to know its orientation and position ina corridor. This enables the EMS server 150 to ascertain the pendant'sposition and distance from the Base, and in turn prevent any ghostingproblems with a Base on another floor.

Event Management Server (EMS)

The EMS 150 is an optional component and is typically used inenvironments where numerous beacon devices 110, 120 have been installedthroughout a facility. The EMS 150 may include a special purposecomputer executed by software, with the primary function of keepingtrack of all the messages that are coming in from the beacon devices110, 120, for example, exchanging communications with JSON or the like.In situations where there is no EMS server, then an email or SMS can begenerated for example, by the beacon device 110. Since each beacondevice may include a built-in processor, as well as an IP stack with abuilt-in email client, it can send email messages directly to an emailserver. But the EMS server 150 is much more sophisticated and hasmapping capabilities that enable staff to see a detailed floor plan ofthe building and a real-time view of where the pendants 130 are. Thispermits a person to be tracked indoors within a predetermined region;for example, within a 32-foot radius of one of the beacon devices 110and/or satellite devices 120. The pendant or tag battery life can bedramatically increased with this architecture.

The EMS server 150 can also be used to send the configuration parametersto the beacon device 110. It is noted that the satellite device 120 doesnot communicate with the EMS 150 since it does not include a processorto perform this function, and since the satellite device 120 isconfigured to produce a beam to tickle a pendant 130 to contact thebeacon device 110. For example, the system may be configured to informthe beacon device that it has two satellite devices 120 in its cluster,and instruct the beacon device 110 to pull the two satellite devices 120every 500 ms upon initialization. The configuration parameters would beused to tune the antennas either up or down, depending upon where theyare located. Other parameters that can be configured include the IPaddress of the EMS server, the SMTP server, and any satellites if anyare connected to it.

The EMS 150 also houses a database that keeps track of every pendantlocation change so that reporting can be done for historicaldetermination of where the pendant traversed over a given time period.The EMS server 150 can also interface with the phone system via SIP orSession Initiation Protocol.

Standalone Mode

The EMS is an optional component and the system can run in a standalonemode if a facility wanted to monitor only one area like a doorway. Theposition beacon device 110 can be configured to send out email or SMSalerts when contacted by the pendant which would alleviate the need foran EMS server. The position beacon device 110 has enough memory in it tostore up to 256 pendant serial numbers locally. This enables theposition beacon device 110 to make decisions locally in order to controlthe relay contacts locally. This enables the system to be able to lockor unlock a door based upon the pendant ID. This feature enables staffto be able to go through the door without having to open the door andthe door would lock automatically if a dementia patient was in the area.The other relay could be used to turn on a notification light ifdesired.

The position satellite beacon devices 120 enables the range of oneposition beacon device 110 to be expanded by 30 feet, or more, in eachdirection if both ports are populated. This extends the total area ofcoverage to up to almost 100 feet of coverage. The gap between theposition beacon device 110 and the satellite devices 120 can be extendedto create a dead spot between the two but you can be pretty certainwhere the pendant is since it came into range on the outer satellite.This is not recommended but there may be applications where this can bebeneficial for indoor tracking. The position satellite beacon device 120is powered from the position beacon device 110 and no external interfaceis needed.

Handset Device (HD)

The handset device is a smart phone with the energizer embedded into itso the device can be tracked throughout the facility as well. It is alsohas a SIP client on it and can receive and send video, audio, andreceive event messages from the EMS server 150. The HD has multiplewireless communication paths back to the position beacon device 110 andposition satellite beacon device 120.

Operation

Once all of the units are installed throughout a facility the first stepis to power on the beacon. Once power is applied the Beacon willbroadcast over the Ethernet to find the EMS server via a multicastprotocol. Once found it will download its configuration and then it willinitialize any Satellites attached to itself according to itsconfiguration file. If no EMS server is available the localconfiguration will be used. Next it will report back the initializationresults to the EMS server. Each position beacon device 110 and positionsatellite beacon device 120 has a unique code or Device ID that is usedto identify itself. This enables the EMS server to distinguish eventsfrom position beacon device 110 s or satellite beacon devices 120. Onceit is operational it will power on the energizer in the position beacondevice 110 and broadcast a low frequency signal with the base ID,Acknowledgement Pendant list, Time Stamp, and the Pendant ConfigurationParameters. It waits a configurable amount of time and then energizesany satellite beacons antennas attached to it sequentially.

The position beacon device 110 keeps track of all of the pendants thatresponded back to the beam. Before the Pendant sends any data it firstpicks a slot to transmit on to avoid any collisions with other pendantsin the area. Once the channel is selected It sends the signal strength,its serial number, the Base or Remote ID from the position beacon device110 or position satellite beacon device 120 that energized it, and ifthere is a low battery indication. This beacon is constantly pollingeach antenna and reporting back to the server any changes. The servercould be the EMS server 150 or an email/SMS server if in standalonemode. Since the last Device ID that the pendant was near is transmittedin the emergency signal (i.e. when the button is pressed) thisalleviates any ghost calls that are inherent with older Nurse CallSystems that would have multiple units trigger and call the Nurse CallStations whenever an emergency button was pressed. Thus, in someembodiments, when a pendant button 252 is pressed, the last position ofa position beacon device 110 or satellite device 120 that energized thependant 130 may be provided, for example, displayed.

Since the pendant 130 also sends the signal strength from the antennasin the X,Y,Z direction relative to the pendant orientation this enablesthe system to know its orientation and position in the corridor. I.e. isit upright or lying flat.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an operation of a beacon device, in accordancewith some embodiments. Some or all of the steps in the flowchart may beperformed at one or more elements shown and described with reference toFIGS. 1-4.

At step 302, the position beacon device 110 is powered up via a 24 voltpower source. It can be via its barrel connector or from a red/blackpair from an external power supply.

At step 302, Upon initialization the position beacon device 110 supportsthe Azure protocol or the like and will send a multicast, for example,out on address 224.0.0.251, looking for a server or application that canautomatically find any beacon device 110 that is on the network via aprotocol, such as Azure protocol, or other communication element formanaging the device.

At decision diamond 306, a determination is made whether there is aresponse to the multicast server request. If yes, then the methodproceeds to step 310, where the configuration files are loaded from theEMS server 150. If no, then the method proceeds to block 308, where thelocal settings are used to initialize. Here, the beacon device 110 mayhave configuration parameters stored in flash memory or the like. If itdoes not get them via the EMS server 150, then the beacon device 110will just use its local settings that were programmed via the webinterface.

At decision diamond 312, a determination is made whether the beaconsantenna is energized to transmit an energizing signal, such as a 125 kHzsignal or the like, but not limited thereto. For example, otherfrequencies may equally apply, such as 303 mHz in the ISM band.

If yes, then the method proceeds to step 314 where the energizing signalis broadcast from the mPB antenna and then goes round robin to any mPSantenna's every X number of milliseconds which is configurable. If no,then No Sleep or stop energizing antenna until timer expires.

At step 316, the antenna transmits its Base ID name, Its antenna ID, Itslists of pendants that has sent in Supervision messages to it (AckList), Pendant Config if programmed, timestamp. At step 318, receipt ismade of an ISM frequency, such as 433 mhz.

At decision diamond 320, a determination is made whether data isreceived from the pendant 130. If yes, the method proceeds to step 322,where a beacon received from the pendant the signal strength, x-y-zcoordinates, the pendant serial number, the beacon deviceidentification, and remote ID of the beacon device or satellite devicethat energized it, if the low battery indication is set. If no, then itgoes to sleep 328 and the method returns to step 312.

At step 324, the beacon device 110 determines what to do with the data,for example, determines whether a message should be output such as SMS,JSON message to the EMS server 150, or to act locally and activate arelay, similar to a door striker.

At step 326, An Ack list is reset. Any pendants that respond to thebroadcast may be added. The method may proceed to step 312.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operation of a pendant 130, in accordancewith some embodiments. Some or all of the steps in the flowchart may beperformed at one or more elements shown and described with reference toFIGS. 1-4 and 6.

At step 502, a pendant 130 wakes up. The pendant 130 may wake up fordifferent reasons, for example, whenever it notices a beacon locationchange, or it wakes up in reduced power mode to ensure there has notbeen a change.

At decision diamond 504, a determination is made whether the pendant 130has been energized from an antenna of a beacon device 110 and/or asatellite device 120. If yes, the method proceeds to step 514, where thependant 130 receives data in the beam. The data may include but not belimited to the Base ID or name, Remote Ack List containing all of thependants that are in its Acknowledgement list, and a time stamp.

At decision diamond 518, the pendant 130 determines if it is the sameantenna that initialized it the last time. If yes, then at step 520,check if the time is over X seconds. If no, at step 528, the pendant 130enters a sleep mode. If yes, at step 522 it transmits a supervisoryframe to the beacon device 110.

At step 524, it first chooses a time slot to transmit the frame on,sends the signal strength of the beam, sends the serial number ofitself, the base ID and remote ID that energized it, low batteryindication. At step 528, the pendant 130 enters a sleep mode.

Returning to decision diamond 504, if the determination is made that thependant 130 has been energized, then the method proceeds to step 506,where a determination is made whether the pendant 130 has beenactivated, e.g., whether the button 252 has been pressed. If no, thenthe method returns to step 504. If Yes, the at step 508, a transmissionis initiated from the pendant 130, including at step 510 but not limitedto a serial number, low battery indication, and set the event ID toalarm. At step 512, the pendant 130 enters a sleep mode.

As described herein, a pendant button is only used manually by theperson using it when they need help which will generate an “alarm” eventor message back to the beacon. When it is in “passive” mode”, itgenerates supervisory messages back to the beacon device 110 when therehas been a movement from one beacon device 110 to another beacon device110 or satellite device 120. For example, the system may be implementedin two wings of a building, and there is an interest is identifying thelocation of a person in the building, in particular, which wing. Here,the beacon device 110 and satellite device 120 may all be named the samedevice, e.g., device ID=1, so that any time they report back data mayindicate “wing 1 id 1” or “wing 2 id 1”, where the wing is the beaconID. However if a beacon device 110 is placed on one side of a door and asatellite device 1120 is placed on the other side of the door, then thesystem prefers to understand that the pendant 130 communicated with thesatellite device 120, and it would report back as ID 2 as part of apredetermined configuration. Without this feature, if people walk aroundthe facility you don't know where they are unless they press the button.Embodiments of the inventive concepts provide for, as they walkthroughout the facility, the pendant 130 makes supervisory calls back tothe server 150 letting it know where that pendant 150 is positionedwithin a facility. If the same pendant did not have a button 252 butinstead included assets as well so they can find the wheelchair or otherobject that is always missing or the oxygen pump that is expensive andthey want to know if it is walking out the door. The lower thefrequency, the lower the battery power needed to listen to thatfrequency. The pendant 130 when it comes in range of the 125 kHz not mHZit wakes up and determines if it is the same antenna that woke it up theprevious time or not. If it is then it goes back to sleep, if it isn'tthen it makes a supervisor call over 433 mhz which taxes the batteryjust like if someone presses the button.

A related feature is that the battery has an extraordinary long batterylife, since it doesn't have to chirp or broadcast at full power when itcomes into the proximity of a beacon device 110. Instead, the pendant130 “wakes up” whenever it notices a beacon location change, or it wakesup in reduced power mode to ensure there has not been a change.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for positioning, comprising: a positionbeacon device that generates an energizing signal, and includes anantenna that is energized to output the energizing signal for energizingat least one electronic device; at least one satellite beacon devicethat extends the range of the energizing signal; and an event managementserver that tracks location changes of the at least at one electronicdevice in response to the energizing at least one electronic devicebeing energized by the energizing signal.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the position beacon device communicates with the at least oneelectronic device over a 433 MHz communication in response to the atleast one electronic device being excited by the energizing signalreceived from the position beacon device or the at least one satellitebeacon device at a 125 kHz frequency.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe at least one satellite beacon device communicates with the positionbeacon device to increase the range of an area to be monitored.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the at least one satellite beacon device ispowered from the position beacon device.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the energizing signal includes a low frequency energizer radiofrequency identification (RFID) wakeup beam.
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one satellite beacon device outputs a uniqueidentifier to the position beacon device which in turn transmits data tothe event management server in order to distinguish whether the at leastone electronic device is closer the position beacon device or the atleast one satellite because device based upon a signal strength in theevent that both the position beacon device and at least one satellitebeacon device establish a communication with the at least one electronicdevice.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the position beacon deviceincludes a processor that polls the antenna and antennas of the at leastone satellite beacon device, for changes in an ACK list of the at leastone electronic device, permitting the position beacon device to informthe event management server of the location changes.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein in response to a failure to detect the event managementserver, information regarding the location changes is generated andoutput as an electronic message.
 9. A system for positioning,comprising: a position beacon device that generates an energizingsignal; and at least one electronic device that is energized by theenergizing signal, and further includes a button that when pressedgenerates a signal to provide a last beacon ID that energized it todetermine a location of the at least one electronic device, the at leastone electronic device contacting the position beacon device in responseto being energized by the energizing signal.
 10. The system of claim 9,further comprising an event management server that receives dataregarding the location of the at least one electronic device in responseto the at least one electronic device being energized by the energizingsignal.
 11. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least onesatellite beacon device that extends the range of the energizing signal.12. The system of claim 9, wherein the position beacon devicecommunicates with the at least one electronic device over a 433 MHzcommunication in response to the at least one electronic device beingexcited by the energizing signal received from the position beacondevice at a 125 kHz frequency.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the atleast one electronic device determines whether to make a supervisorycall to the position beacon device in order to alert the server that anew electronic device has been energized by the beacon that has comeinto its proximity, and wherein the signal uses a different Industrial,Scientific or Medical (ISM) frequency to call the position beacondevice.
 14. The system of claim 9, wherein a supervisory signal isgenerated by the at least one electronic device when it thinks itencountered a new beacon, wherein if the at least one electronic devicestays under the same beacon it should not generate a lot of supervisorycalls which increases battery life.
 15. The system of claim 9, whereinthe position beacon device includes an antenna that is energized tooutput the energizing signal for energizing at least one electronicdevice, and wherein in response the at least one electronic deviceresponds to the position beacon device, which in turn generates andoutputs a data packet with information that an event has occurred.
 16. Asystem for positioning, comprising: a plurality of position beacondevices that each tracks a plurality of electronic devices constructedand arranged to include a button that when activated generates a signalthat serves as a call for help, each position beacon device furtherconstructed and arranged to listen for events corresponding to thesignal generated when the button is activated, each position beacondevice further constructed and arranged to output an energizing signalfor energizing the electronic devices; and an event management serverthat manages communications received from the position beacon devicesand ascertains a position and distance of the electronic devices fromthe position beacon devices.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein theposition beacon devices listen for the events at or about a 433 MHzfrequency.